Chapter 8
Louisiana Purchase and
War of 1812
Negotiations
● In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson instructed James
Monroe and Robert Livingston to negotiate with France
for the purchase of New Orleans.
● Instead, the French offered to sell all of Louisiana.
● Monroe negotiated the purchase of the entire territory
without having true authorization.
The Deal
● The US Senate ratified the treaty for the Louisiana
Purchase, and the territory was transferred from France to
the United States on December 20, 1803.
● The Louisiana Purchase more than doubled the size of the
United States.
● The US paid $15 million for 823,000 square miles of land
which would become all or part of 15 states.
Aaron Burr
● Louisiana became a haven for outlaws and filibusterers
such as Aaron Burr, the former vice president who had killed
Alexander Hamilton in a duel.
● Burr’s exact plans are unclear, but before they could be
carried out, General Wilkinson betrayed Burr.
● The former vice president was tried and acquitted of
conspiracy.
Territorial Period
● In 1810, the Spanish still controlled Spanish West
Florida (today’s Florida Parishes) but many
English-speaking migrants living there wished to join
the United States.
● They revolted declaring themselves the Republic of
West Florida.
● Three months later they were incorporated into the
Louisiana Territory.
Free People of Color
● The presence of free people of color created tension in
the area.
● In 1804, the importation of slaves was made illegal.
● In 1809, Claiborne made an exception when he allowed
the entrance of a large group of Haitian refugees
including 3,000 slaves.
Statehood
● On April 30, 1812, Louisiana became the 18th state admitted
to the Union.
● The War of 1812 was caused by tensions between the British
and Americans.
● Specifical the British impressment of US sailors and British
refusal to abandon forts along the US border as promised.
War of 1812
● By mid-1814, after little territorial change, both sides
entered into peace negotiations; however, the fighting
continued.
● In 1814, General Andrew Jackson was ordered to take his
troops toward New Orleans in anticipation of a British
attack.
War of 1812
Battle of New Orleans
● The Battle of New Orleans, which took place on
January 8, 1815, solidified Andrew Jackson’s position
as a military hero.
● Despite numerous disadvantages, Jackson achieved a
decisive victory.
Battle of New Orleans
Early Statehood
● Creoles of Louisiana began to work with Americans in
common struggles but viewed themselves as a
distinctive group.
● The state’s politics tended to focus on local issues.
● In spite of winning the popular vote in 1824, Andrew
Jackson lost the presidency to John Quincy Adams
when the election was decided in the House of
Representatives.
Early Government
● This angered many Americans, including many Louisianians.
● It led to a huge voter turnout in the 1828 presidential
election, which Jackson won by a large margin.
● The election of Jackson, a hero of the common man,
changed the way Louisianians felt about politics.
● They began to take an increasing interest in national affairs.